Production of isobutylene



Sept. s, 1970 R. c. woERNER ETAL PRODUCTION 0F ISOBUTYLENE Filed Aug. 1s,

Afro/away United States Patent O 3,527,837 Patented sept. s, 1970 3,527,837 PRODUCTION OF ISOBUTYLENE Rudolph C. Woerner, Houston, and Lloyd D. Tschopp,

Humble, Tex., assignors to Petro-Tex Chemical Corporation, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 640,096, May 19, 1967, now Patent No. 3,479,416. This application Aug. 13, 1969, Ser. No. 849,838

Int. Cl. B01d 3/34; C07c 7/00, 5/18 U.S. Cl. 260-683.3 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In an integrated facility for the preparation of isobutylene, it has been found that a significant improvement in the purity of the isobutylene from the extractive distillation solvent stripper can be obtained by returning a portion of the lean solvent to the upper section of the stripper, thus creating an absorbing sub zone in the upper section of the stripper. This has the effect of increasing the isobutylene purity and further enriching the butadiene-1,3 in side draw stream in the lower section of the stripper. Unlike conventional extractive distillation, which this modification resembles, very low solvent concentrations can be used thus effecting a saving in solvent circulation.

RELATED APPLICATION AND PATENT This application is a continuation-in-part of our application Ser. No. 640,096 filed May 19, 1967, now Pat. 3,479,416.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This application relates to the preparation of isobutylene, preferably of a high purity, from isobutane by an integrated process which includes feed preparation, dehydrogenation and purification steps.

Isobutylene of a high purity is used for diverse applications such as one of the comonomers for butyl rubber. Isobutylene is normally separated and segregated from C, hydrocarbon fractions, obtained as petroleum process by-products and the like, by treating a C4 hydrocarbon stream containing isobutylene with polybasic mineral acids, particularly sulfuric acid in the range of about 55 v to 70 weight percent. When the C4 hydrocarbon stream containing isobutylene is passed into the concentrated sulfuric acid, the isobutylene is selectively absorbed by the sulfuric acid. At the same time, small amounts of other C4 hydrocarbons such as isobutane, butenes, n-butane and the like are also absorbed in the acid. Normally, the sulfuric acid containing dissolved or entrained therein a portion of the C4 hydrocarbon stream as described, is first weathered, diluted and then heated to release a substantial proportion of the absorbed isobutylene. Under the process conditions as described, the isobutylene so produced may contain isobutane and butene-l as the major impurities.

Isobutylene of a purity greater than about 99 percent produced by a simplified process is desired for making industrial chemical derivatives and polymers therefrom. A number of procedures have been proposed to increase the purity of isobutylene produced substantially as described. These methods include vacuum stripping of the sulfuric acid extract, passing gases through the sulfuric acid extract in an attempt to physically blow out the undesirable impurities, fractional distillation of the isobutylene product liberated from the sulfuric acid and the like. With a combination of steps, high purity isobutylene may be achieved. Nevertheless, a distinct disadvantage of these processes is that a considerable percentage of the isobutylene is loss due to polymerization particularly during the release of the isobutylene from the sulfuric acid. Another disadvantage of these prior art processes is that the quantity of isobutylene so obtained is limited by the supply of the by-product streams available to be treated. Still another drawback of such a process is the high capital cost of an acid extraction plant.

An alternate route to produce isobutylene is desired. One possibility is by the dehydrogenation of isobutane. Relatively low purity isobutane is fairly readily available as a petroleum by-product. However, the recovery and purification of isobutylene produced by the dehydrogenation of isobutane can involve the same described sulfuric acid extraction process and the attendant disadvantages.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a process that is capable of producing high purity isobutylene from hydrocarbon stream comprising predominately isobutane. It is another object to produce isobutylene by a process which requires relatively low capital investment and which does not suffer from the disadvantages associated with processes for the sulfuric acid extraction of isobutylene from hydrocarbons. Still another object of this invention is to provide a process for the simultaneous production of isobutylene and butadiene-1,3 from a predominately isobutane hydrocarbon feed stream. These and other objects are accomplished by the invention described herein.

According to this invention a process is provided for the production of isobutylene which comprises feeding a hydrocarbon mixture comprising predominately isobutane and normal or straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons to a separation zone wherein straight chain fourcarbon hydrocarbons are separated from isobutane to provide a hydrocarbon stream from the first separation zone having at least 50 weight percent isobutane, reacting said hydrocarbon stream from the first separation in a dehydrogenation reactor to form a reactor effluent comprising isobutane, isobutylene and straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons with n-butene-l constituting from .0001 to .025 mol of n-butene-l per mol of isobutylene in the reactor eluent, the straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons in the reactor effluent being present in an amount greater than the weight percent of straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons fed to the said reactor, contacting the said reactor effluent in a solvent contacting zone with a solvent which selectively dissolves isobutylene in preference to normal butane and isobutane, taking from said solvent contacting zone a hydrocarbon stream comprising straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons and isobutane and feeding said hydrocarbon stream to said separation zone, taking from said solvent contacting zone a solution comprising isobutylene and solvent and separating isobutylene product from said solution. In one embodiment of the invention butadiene-1,3 is taken olf as a side stream from the step wherein isobutylene is separated from the said solution. A particular feature of the invention is the return of a portion of the lean solvent to a point in the solvent separation zone above the point where the fat solvent enters said solvent separation zone thus acting to further absorb any residual less volatile impurities from said isobutylene.

One preferred method of conducting the process of this invention is illustrated in the drawing. An organic stream comprising predominantly isobutane and straight chain four-carbon hydrocarbons is fed Vto thesepara'tion zone A. From this separation zone is taken a stream 2 having at least 50 weight percent isobutane and a minor weight percent of straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons. In dehydrogenation zone B this stream is dehydrogenated to form a reactor effluent comprising isobutane, isobutylene and straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons including n-butene-l in a particular composition. In the dehydrogeneration zone B some isobutane is converted to straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons. Zones C, D and E are utilized to separate gases lighter than C4 hydrocarbons. Zone F is a solvent contacting zone with the undissolved gases being returned as a liquid or gas to the feed to zone A. The dissolved gases and solvent 13 are taken to a solvent separation zone G, the solvent is returned to zone F and isobutylene containing stream 14 is separated. This stream 14 may be used as such or further puried such as in zone H to separate n-butane and butene-2. A butadiene-containing stream 18 is taken as a side stream from the solvent separation zone G. This butadiene containing stream may be utilized by recycle through line 20 to the upper section of zone F preferably on the top tray of the tower. A portion of the recycle lean solvent from zone G is returned to zone G in the upper section of the zone (G) above the entry of the fat solvent.

In order that those skilled in the art may more fully appreciate the nature of the invention and a method for carrying it out, it will be more specifically described in connection with the accompanying drawing which is a flow sheet of one form of the invention. The process will be illustrated by the use of particular pieces of equipment, but it is understood that a single piece of equipment may be separated into several pieces of equipment so long as the same result is achieved or conversely several pieces of equipment may be combined. Conventional auxiliary equipment such as pumps, heating and cooling means, compressors, etc., have not been shown as this type of equipment is well known to those skilled in the art.

The feed 1 to the separation zone A will comprise predominantly isobutane and straight chain C4 hydrocarbons. This feed stream will normally be a hydrocarbon stream and may contain other components such as hydrocarbons of 2, 3, 5, 6, etc. carbon atoms. However, the stream should still constitute predominantly four carbon hydrocarbons, and will preferably contain no greater than 40 weight percent straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons. The separation zone A may be a fractional distillao tion tower and may contain plates or packing. In the separation zone A straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons are separated from isobutane and are removed as a bottoms 3. For example, n-butane is separated from the isobutane. The overhead stream 2 will contain at leastl genated to isobutylene. In the dehydrogenation zone also` at least a portion of the isobutane is converted to straight chain C4 hydrocarbons. The mechanism for this conver sion is difficult to determine. For instance, isobutane may rst be isomerized to n-butane which in turn may lbe partially dehydrogenated to normal butene, or isobutane may be first dehydrogenated to isobutylene which is then somerized to n-butene. At any rate, the net effect is that' some of the isobutane is converted to n-butene and vn butaue. As a preferred embodiment from .l to 1.5 or 3' mols of straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons are produced per 100 mols of isobutylene produced in the dehydrogenatign zone. Also, in the dehydrogenation zone av butadienp-l is produced This may be proportion of HWWWW) 'duced either from n-butane or n''butene vwhich is'lfed'to fh@ dehydrogenati011.zone.orY formed Yin thedehydroaena; tion zone from other components. Any butadiene in the feed to the dehydrogenation zone, for example, that is contained in the recycle from solvent contacting zone F will be partially destroyed by conversion to coke, light gases and less highly unsaturated C4 hydrocarbons. rl`he dehydrogenation zone eiuent 4 contains a variety of products with isobutylene being a relatively major component. The dehydrogenation zone feed, reaction conditions, catalysts, etc. are regulatedsuch that the n-butene-l is maintained within the range'of from .0001 to .025 mols of n-butene-l per mol of isobutylene'inthe reactor efu: ent and preferably no greater than .010 mols-of nbutenel per mol of isobutylene. Anycatalyst `and reaction conditions may beemployed so long as the describedrconditions are met. The catalyst in the dehydrogenation 'zone may be, e.g.,.alumina or an oxide derived from-metals of Groups IV-B, V-B or VI-B of the' Periodic Chart of the,

elements (e.g. Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, M0; W or mix tures thereof). The mentioned metal oxides are preferably deposited on a vsuitable support `such as, .for-,example, silica, silica-alumina, alumina, etc. Usually the oxides Of chromium, molybdenum and vanadium deposited-on "alu-v mina or magnesia are preferred as "the dehydrogenation catalysts. Specific examples of such catalysts are alumina promoted with 40 percent chromium oxide, `aiumina pro` moted with 40 percent zirconium, oxide, alumina pro? moted with 40 percent titanium dioxide, alumina procatalytic oxide of Groups IVb, Vb or VIb of the Periodic' Table (Periodic Table as found on page 881 of' Van Nostrand Encyclopedia of'Chemical Science, 1964) supported on alumina. Although a fluid bed mayv be employed, the catalyst will suitably be in the form of a xed bed.

The temperature in the dehydrogenation zone will gen-l erally be within the range of about 900 to about 1200 F. The contact time and space velocity may be varied de-,

pending on other conditions with ranges such as from 0.01 minutes to about l5 minutes depending upon the type of reactor utilized. Suitable space velocities are such as from about l to l0' liquid hourly space velocity. Pressure is not a critical variable and the process can be. operated at atmosphere, subatmosphere or super atmos-` phere pressure. However, the use of subatmospheric presv sare results in increased yields and pressures such as fromv about two to eight p.s.i.a. may be employed.

Thel 4eiliuent 4 from the dehydrogenation zone is cooled by means known to those skilled in the art vsuch as by the use of quench, waste heat, boilers, condensers and the like. These gases are then generally compressed prior to further treatment. Zones C, lD and E represent means for separating gases lighterthan four hydrocarbons.. 'In these y zoneslight gases such as CO, CO2, hydrogen, methane,A

ethane, propane, propyle-ne and the-like are separated. A

preferred method for separating these gases is set forth in -I the drawing. Zone C is illustrated'by an absorber tower.v

wherein a split is made between C3 hydrocarbons and C2 and lighter gases. .A reboiler may suitably be employed .v 1n the absorber to achieve the desired split between C3"y and the C2 and lighter gases. The light gases 5 constitute primarily hydrogen, CO, CO2, methane, ethane and eth'- ylene. These gases may suitably be disposed of such 'asl by l burning in al boiler. However, it is sometimes advanta?v geous to use a portion of these gases as purge gas'es. This is true if the'dehydrogenation zone B is a cyclic type of operation wherein purgeA gas is employed. This purge gas lIW ll WWl ll W

is burned from the catalyst. Zone C may be a conventional oil vabsorber and maybe operated in a normal manner-to achieve the desiredl separation. Suitable absorber oils are such as paraflnc oils. The C4 hydrocarbons are absorbed in the absorber oil and taken from the absorber as stream 6 and fed to the stripper D. Absorber oil is returned to the absorber as stream 7. The stripper D is also a conventional piece of equipment wherein the absorbed C4 hydrocarbons are separated from the absorber oil. The C3 and C4 hydrocarbons leave the stream 8 and are fed toa depropanizer E. In the depropanizer C3 hydrocarbons are taken off as an overhead 9 and recovered. This overhead will constitute primarily propylene and'propane. The depropanizer may be a packed or plate type of fractional distillation tower. The described combination of absorber, stripper and depropanizer is the preferred embodiment according to this invention. However, other schemes may be employed such as elimination of the depropanizer or the operation of the absorber such that the split is primarily made between C3 and C4 hydrocarbons. Even if a C3-C4 split is made in the absorber, a depropanizer may still be useful to separate residual Cs from the C4 stream 9.

' The stream 10 will comprise mainly C4 and heavier hydrocarbons and isobutylene will be a major component. According to this invention, the quantity of n-butene-l will still be within the range of from .0001 to .025 mol of n-butene per mol of isobutylene in stream 10. Stream 10 is fed to a solvent contacting zone F. Zone F will preferably be anV extractive distillation column but liquidliquid extraction can satisfactorily be employed under certain conditions. The drawing illustrates the use of an extractive distillation column as the solvent contacting zone F. VIn -zone F the stream10 is-contacted with a solvent which selectively dissolves isobutylene in favor of e .g., isobutane land n-butane. The undissolved hydrocarbon fraction is taken olf as stream 11 and recycled as stream 11 to the separation zone A. This stream 11 may suitably comprise from .0025 to 6, preferably from .005 to l, weight percentistraight chain four carbon hydrocarbons and atleast 70 Weight percent isobutane. Additional feed 12 from any source is also fed to the separation zone A such that the feed 1 to the separation zone is as described above.

The solvent employed in zone F can be any solvent known to those skilled inthe art to make the described separation between isobutylene and saturated C4 hydrocarbons. A particularly preferred solvent is furfural or a furfural mixture containing waterfin an amount of up to 25 percent by weight of thel total furfural-water mixture. Other satisfactorysolvents are such as acetone, acetonitrile,v dimethyl formamide, dimethyl sulphoxide, nmethyl pyrrolidone, methylethyl ketone, dimethyl acetamide, acetonitrile, 3-methoxypropyionitrile, mixtures of these solvents with water, and the like.

The solvent containing isobutylene dissolved therein, stream 13, is fed to a solvent separation zone G where the solvent is separated as stream 15, cooled by means known to thosel skilled in the art such as by heat exchangers and returned to the solvent contracting zone F.

In the present invention fresh solvent, `e.g. from stream 15, is fed into the solvent separation zone G at a point above the pointof entry of feed stream 13. The volatility of the more unsaturated materials in the feed stream, i.e.butadiene and the acetylenesl (acetylene, methyl acetylene, vinyl acetylene) relative to isobutylene is thereby furtherreduced in the. upper portion of the solvent separation zone G, facilitating a more complete concentration and removalof these impurities in sidestream 18.

This feature is indicatedby, valved line 19. The net effect of the recycle of a portion of the lean solventto the solvent stripping zone G is to create an absorbing subzone G' in the upper portion thereof. The recycle stream is valved and thus the amount of solvent fed into zone G is controlled. The amount of solvent recycled can vary The separation zone A is a fractional distillation column over a wide range. In a usual extractive distillation, which is what zone G resembles with recycle 19, the practice is to maintain a predominance of solvent in the liquid phase circulated in the extractive distillation towers, particularly in the absorbing zone. The usual procedure can be followed in the recycle of lean solvent into zone G so that there is a predominance of solvent in the absorbing subzone; however, this is not necessary and several advantages can be obtained by operating with reduced or low concentrations of solvent in the absorbing subzone. In the preferred operation of the instant process the lean solvent will be recycled to zone G in concentrations such that in the absorbing subzone G' there Will be a predominance of isobutylene in relation to solvent. Suitable volume ratios of solvent to hydrocarbon include the range of about 10:1 to .05 :1. Generally, the concentration of solvent, i.e., the volume ratio of solvent to hydrocarbon, in subzone G will be less than that in solvent contacting zone F.

The benefit derived from the recycle of lean solvent into the stripping column (solvent separation zone G) is an increase in purity of the isobutylene product. By using reduced levels of lean solvent concentration in zone G' considerable economy can be achieved in solvent circulation required. The use of low concentrations involves reduced relative volatilties for the isobutylene which can be partially offset by having a greater number of trays in the absorbing subzone G and allowing a smaller tower diameter above the fat solvent entry.

A preferred embodiment of this invention resides in the taking of a sidestream 18 from the solvent separation column G. This sidestream is most satisfactorily taken at the point where there is a maximum concentration or bulge in the concentration of butadiene-1,3. The butadiene stream may be too contaminated for advantageous re-4 covery of usable butadiene-1,3; however, it can serve as additional feed for the dehydrogenation B but it must be separated from the residual solvent in stream 18 before being recycled.

A further feature of this process is that optionally all or a portion of the butadiene-1,3 containing sidestream 18 can be passed through valved line 20 into the solvent contacting zone F at a point several trays above the entry of lean solvent. 15. In so doing a substantial portion of the butadiene is flashed olf from the residual solvent, and passes off through line 11 with the undissolved hydrocarbon fraction. The solvent continues in the solvent contacting zone. The butadiene-1,3 will continue by recycle into the dehydrogenation zone B where it will be partially destroyed by conversion to coke, light gases and to less highly unsaturated C4 hydrocarbons. l

Stream 14 is the isobutylene stream and may be of sufliciently high purity that additional purification is not required. Nevertheless, it is another feature of this in- -vention that the isobutylene may be further purified by separating n-butane and the various butene-Z isomers in a fractional distillation column H. High purity isobutylene 16 is taken as a product. It is also possible to make other separations in the area of zones G and H such as feeding stream 14 to a distillation column to separate Water and perhaps some hydrocarbons from the stream prior to feeding to the final distillation column H.

Another preferred embodiment of this invention is the EXAMPLE 1 A `specific example of the invention will now be illustrated. Reference is made to the drawing. All percentages are liquid volume percentages unless stated otherwise.

and composition 1 is a hydrocarbon stream containing 96.45 percent isobutane, 0.88 percent isobutylene land 2.167 percent n-butane. The bottoms 3 contains 4.5 percent isobutane and 95.5 percent n-butane. The overhead 2 consists of 98.9 percent isobutane, 0.9 percent isobutylene and 0.2 percent n-butane. This composition is fed to dehydrogenation zone B which is a Houdry type cyclic reactor employing a chromia-alumina catalyst. The reactor is operated at a pressure of about 2.0 p.s.i.a. and the maximum temperature during dehydrogenation is about 1100 F. The conversion of isobutane is 50 mol percent. In the dehydrogenation zone isobutane is dehydrogenated to isobutylene. Butadiene-l,3, n-butene-l, and n-butene-Z are also formed. Some straight chain C4 hydrocarbons are formed from the iso C4 hydrocarbons. Conventional cooling means such as waste heat boilers, quenching and condensors are employed. The composition is compressed and fed to zone C which is an oil absorber employing a paraflinic absorb-er oil having a boiling point range of about 240 to 390 F. f

Light gases are taken off at 5 and the fat oil 6 is fed to the stripper column D. Stripped absorber oil 7 is returned to the absorber. The stripped gases 8 are fed to the depropanizer E where C3 hydrocarbons are taken oif as stream 9. The remaining composition 10 is used as a feed to the solvent tower F. This feed contains approximately 53.5 percent isobutane, 45.9 percent isobutylene, 0.1 percent n-lbutene-l, `0.2 percent n-butane together with minor portions of butadiene-1,3 and butene-2. The solvent tower F utilizes a furfural-water mixture containing 7 percent water by Weight as a solvent. The overhead 11 from the solvent tower contains 97.9 percent isobutane, 1.8 percent isobutylene and 0.3 percent n-butane. This composition is fed to the stream entering the fractional distillation tower A. The fat solvent 13 is fed to a stripper G with a stripper overhead containing 0.21 percent isobutane, 98.9 percent isobutylene, 0.21 percent n-butene-l, 0.05 percent butadiene, 0.15 percent n-butane, 0.26 percent butene-Z low and 0.21 percent butene-Z high. A butadiene containing side stream 18 is taken from the stripper and sent for further puriiication. The stripper overhead 14 is fed to the fractional distillation column H. The isobutylene product overhead 16 contains 99.45 percent isobutylene with the impurities being minor amounts of isobutane, butene-l, butadiene and butene-2. In the fractional distillation column H a stream containing n-butane, isobutylene and butene-2 is taken oi las a bottoms 17.

EXAMPLE 2 The procedure according to Example 1 is followed but a portion of the lean feed is returned to G at 19. In the absorbing subzone G' the average column ratio of furfural-water solvent to hydrocarbon is about .5 :1. The overhead from G contains l99.49 isobutylene, 0.21 percent isobutane, 0.15 percent n-butane, 0.04 percent nJbutene-l, 0.05 percent butene-Z low and 0.04 percent butene-Z high and 0.01 percent butadiene. There is no need for further fractional distillation since the product purity is high.

If it is opted to send the butadiene sidestream 18 into F at 20 the net result is a slight change in the feed to the dehydrogenation zone, i.e., butadiene-1,3 being present and on through the system. No problem with build-up of the straight chain C4 unsaturates is experienced as a result of the partial recycle of stream 18 since a portion of the butadiene enriched stream 1.8 can be drawn olf to maintain a balance within the system.

We claim:

1. A process for the recovery of isobutylene comprising contacting a reactor eiiuent comprising isobutane, isobutylene and straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons with n-butene-l constituting from .0001 to .025 mols of nJbutene-l per mol of isobutylene in said reactor eluent,

the straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons in said re actor eluent being present in an amount greater than the weight percent of straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons fed to said reactor, in a solvent contacting zone with a solvent which selectively dissolves isobutylene in preference to n-butane and isobutane, taking from said solvent contacting zone a solution comprising isobutylene and solvent, feeding said solution to a separating zone, separating isobutylene from said solution, returning a portion of the lean solvent from said separataing zone to said separating zone, contacting said lean solvent with said separated isobutylene and recovering isobutylene product.

2. The process according to claim 1 whereinv saidrsolvent comprises a member selected lfrom the group consisting of acetone, dimethylforma-mide, dimethylsulfoxide, furfural, n-methyl-pyrrolidone, methylethyl-ketone, dimethyl acetamide, acetonitrile, 3-methoxy propionitrle, and mixtures thereof with water.

3. The process according to claim 1 wherein isobutylene is separated from said solution in a stripping tower and a butadiene-1,3 containing stream is taken off as a side stream.

4. The process according to claim 3 wherein said lean solvent is returned to said stripping tower at a point above the entry of said solution.

5. The process according to claim 3 wherein said side stream is fed to said solvent contacting zone at a point above the entry of said solvent into said zone.

6. The process according to claim 1 wherein the vol-l ume ratio of lean solvent to contacted hydrocarbons in said separating zone is less than the volume ratio of lean solvent to contacted hydrocarbons in the solvent contacting zone.

7. The process according to claim 6 wherein the volume ratio of lean solvent to contacted hydrocarbon in said separating zone is in the range of about 10:1 to .05 :1.

8. A process for the production of isobutylene which comprises feeding a hydrocarbon mixture comprising predominately isobutane and straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons to a separation zone wherein straight chain four carbon atoms are separated from isobutane to provide a hydrocarbon stream from the rst separation zone having at least 50 weight percent isobutane and a minor weight percent of straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons, reacting said hydrocarbon stream from the rst separation in a dehydrogenation reactor toform a reactor eiiluent comprising isobutane, isobutylene and straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons With nJbutene-l constituting from .0001 to .025 mols of n-butene-l per mol of isobutylene in the reactor eluent, the straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons in the reactor effluent being present in an amount greaterthan the weight percent of straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons fed to the said reactor, contacting the said reactor eluent in a solvent contacting zone with a solvent which selectively dissolves isobutylene in preference to n-butane and isobutane, taking from said solvent contacting zone a hydrocarbon stream comprising straight chain four carbon hydrocarbons and isobutane and feeding said hydrocarbon stream to said separation zone, taking from said solvent contacting zone a solution comprising isobutylene and solvent, feeding said solution to a separating zone, separating isobutylene from said solution, returning a portion of the lean solvent from said separating zone to said separating zone, contacting said lean solvent with said separated isobutylene and recovering isobutylene product.

9. The process according to claim 8 wherein a major portion of the gases having a boiling point lower than four carbon hydrocarbons are separated` from the said` reactor eiuent prior to contacting the reactor effluent with the said solvent in the solvent contacting zone. y

10. The process according to claim 8 wherein the recovered isobutylene product has substantially reduced` solvent to contacted hydrocarbons in the solvent contactin-g zon-e.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Craig 260-680 Clay 203-54 Clay 260*681.5

Haensel et al. 260-683.3

DELBERT E. GANTZ, Primary Examiner 5 G. E. SCHMITKONS, Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 

